5 Reasons Why Andy Carroll’s Return Would Be Good For Newcastle (And 5 Why It Wouldn’t)

2. Lack Of Progression

When Carroll left in 2011, it was thought that by moving to Anfield the forward could produce more frequently when surrounded by better talent and with Kenny Dalglish to help develop him as a player. For various reasons, not all Carroll's fault, that didn't work out quite as planned. His first touch is still hit-and-miss and it can be argued that he has not developed beyond anything more than a target man. At age 26, Carroll is dominant in one area of his game but compared to fellow Newcastle targets Saido Berahino and Charlie Austin (21 and 25 respectively), his overall play still has holes. Carroll works in a Big Sam-esque side because they play to his strengths - but that also limits opportunities for personal growth and evolution. Were there any signs last season of improvement or a change in the way he played despite working with Teddy Sheringham? Did working under Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool make any difference to his game? The answer to both is probably no. With that in mind, Newcastle splashing the cash on a player who seems no different now than he did five years ago might not be the best approach. Being a one-trick pony is great when that trick works every time and wins games on its own. Unfortunately, Carroll's trick isn't quite strong enough for that.